The present invention relates generally to modular electronic equipment housing assemblies, and more particularly to mounting equipment and brackets for such modular electronic equipment.
Most modern electronic equipment for home and business use is packaged in modular housings. This modularization gives consumers and businesses maximum flexibility in constructing overall systems that fit their particular needs. Particularly in the business environment, the availability of component electronic equipment allows for custom configuration of various functional components to form an overall customized system of equipment to suit the particular needs and requirements of that particular business. Such modularization also allows a business to select components from various manufacturers based on the performance of a particular vendor for the particular functional type of equipment needed. It is not uncommon for a business to select various electronic components from different manufacturers based on the performance, reliability, and cost of the individual vendors for each particular functional piece of equipment required in the overall system. As a result, many customized systems utilized in modern business include functional components manufactured by different companies, and integrated into a single operational system.
Once the individual pieces of electronic component equipment have been purchased, it is common for them to be housed in a single electronic rack or cabinet, providing the company""s personnel with organized access to the front panels of such equipment. This modular component equipment is typically secured within the rack-mount housing or cabinet via screws or bolts that couple mounting holes provided as an integrated feature of the front or side panel of the equipment""s housing to like mounting holes provided in the front side rails of the rack-mount cabinet or housing.
While such rack-mounting of the modular electronic equipment provides significant advantages, the lack of a single standard for the size of the rack-mount cabinetry requires that component equipment manufacturers provide at least two different sizes of housings for their equipment. While other sizes may be available, typically rack-mount cabinets and enclosures are utilized in 19-inch and 23-inch rack-mounting configurations. Further, many telephone and telecommunication companies utilize mounting racks (known as xe2x80x9ctelcoxe2x80x9d racks) that have only two mounting rails positioned to attach to the middle of the side walls of the equipment mounted therein. In order for a manufacturer""s equipment to be considered by businesses, the equipment manufacturers must ensure that they provide equipment compatible with whichever type of rack-mounting system the business utilizes. This often results in significant internal redesign of the electronic packaging, particularly for functional equipment that was originally designed for a 23-inch rack-mount housing to allow it to fit in a 19-inch rack-mount housing. Similarly, the electronic packaging design of equipment originally designed to be housed in a 19-inch rack-mount housing will need to undergo some amount of rework, at least with respect to the front panel, to provide a 23-inch and a telco rack-mount option. Additionally, regardless of the internal electronic packaging design changes necessitated by the three different physically sized housings, the inventory and logistic control of these three separate stock keeping units (SKUs) adds cost for the manufacturers.
While many businesses prefer to mount their modular electronic equipment in rack-mount cabinets or housings, other businesses prefer to have their electronic equipment provided in a tower-mounting arrangement. Since typical rack-mount equipment housings include the integrated mounting flanges as part of the front panel to allow the equipment to be secured in the rack-mount housing, such equipment requires yet another packaging design to provide a tower-mount option. This requires the manufacturer to maintain yet another SKU for the same functional piece of equipment. As with the requirement for three different sizes of rack-mount packaging, the additional inclusion of tower-mount housings increases the manufacturer""s cost and inventory tracking requirements. While it may be possible merely to set the modular electronics on their side, this significantly increases the risk of damage to the electronic equipment since most such equipment does not provide an adequate base in relation to its height when set on its side.
In addition to rack-mounting and tower-mounting electronic component equipment, many businesses require that this equipment be capable of being mounted on a wall. In such a configuration, the housing for the modular electronic equipment must provide mounting flanges to secure the equipment on the wall. Since electronic equipment is typically fairly heavy, it is recommended that the equipment be secured to the wall studs. Unfortunately, the distance between such studs is not governed by a single building standard. Typically wall studs are placed at either 12, 16, or 18 inches apart. Such variation in building standards often results in non-compatibility of the mounting flanges of the electronic equipment, requiring custom mounting hardware to be built for that particular client""s installation. This often results in increased cost for the business, as well as the increased cost associated for the manufacturer in offering and tracking and additional SKU for this mounting configuration for the same functional piece of equipment.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved single modular component that is capable of being mounted in multiple mounting configurations without requiring different housing and packaging designs. It is also an object of the invention to provide a universal mounting bracket for use with modular components that enables them to be mounted in multiple mounting configurations. These multiple mounting configurations preferably include mounting in standard 19 and 23 inch rack mount chassises, telephone company-type (telco) chassises, tower mounting, and wall mounting. Through the provision of the present invention businesses need only stock and track a single SKU regardless of their clients"" mounting requirements, which significantly reduces inventory control costs and improves customer satisfaction.
In one embodiment of the invention, a modular component equipment assembly having universal mounting capability comprises a housing and a pair of universal mounting brackets. Each of the mounting brackets have a first portion and a second portion arranged in perpendicular relation to each other. The second portion is preferably wider than the first portion. This first portion defines a first set of bracket mounting holes, and the second portion defines a second set of bracket mounting holes. In this embodiment, the first portion of the universal mounting brackets may be attached to either side of the housing to form wide outward depending mounting flanges. The second set of bracket mounting holes are positioned on this second portion such that the distance between the second set of bracket mounting holes on each universal mounting bracket is adapted to align with external mounting holes on an external rack mount chassis. Further, when the second portion of the universal mounting brackets is attached to either side of the housing to form short outward depending mounting flanges, the first set of bracket mounting holes are positioned such that a distance between these bracket mounting holes on each universal mounting bracket is adapted to align with mounting holes on a smaller rack mount chassis.
The housing preferably defines two sets of mounting holes on two sides. In this embodiment the first portion of the bracket also defines a set of housing mounting holes that are adapted to align with one set of mounting holes of the housing. The second portion defines another set of housing mounting holes that are adapted to align with the other set of mounting holes of the housing.
When the housing is to be oriented in a tower mount configuration, the first portion of the universal mounting brackets are attached to opposite sides of the housing at a lower portion relative to the tower mount orientation. In this way, the second portion forms mounting feet to increase the stability of the tower mount. The housing defines another set of mounting holes on opposite sides at the lower portion that are adapted to align with the set of mounting holes in the first portion of the bracket.
Preferably, the universal mounting brackets further define wall mounting holes in their second portions. When the housing is to be oriented in a wall mount configuration, the first portion of the universal mounting brackets are attached to at least one side of the housing. These brackets are positioned in a spaced relationship to one another such that the distance between an inner-most pair of the wall mounting holes align with wall studs constructed with centers at a first distance. In this embodiment, a second distance between the middle pair of wall mounting holes align with wall studs constructed with centers at a second distance. Finally, the distance between the outer-most pair of wall mounting holes on the adjacent universal mounting brackets align with wall studs constructed with centers at a third distance. For example, the distances for the wall studs could be 12, 14, and 16 inch centers as is common. The second portion may also include a plate cover mounting hole to accommodate aesthetic plate covers that snap fit in the plate cover mounting hole.
In one embodiment the housing forms a rectangular box having a front surface whose width exceeds its height, a pair of side walls, a top surface, and a bottom surface. In this embodiment the universal mounting brackets are attached to the pair of side walls to enable mounting of the housing in a rack mount chassis. The mounting flanges so formed extend parallel with the front surface. The first portion of the universal mounting brackets are alternatively attached to the top and bottom surfaces to enable a tower mounting of the housing by forming mounting feet extending perpendicular to the front surface. Additionally, the first portion of the universal mounting brackets may be attached to the pair of side walls to enable a wall mounting of the housing. In this case, the second portions form wall mounting flanges that extend perpendicular to the front surface.
Preferably, the first portion defines a first set of housing mounting holes and the second portion defines a second set of housing mounting holes. Further, the pair of side walls define a first and a second set of mounting holes positioned to align with the first and the second set of mounting holes, respectively, to enable rack mounting of the housing in two different sized rack mount chassises. To enable telco rack mounting, the pair of side walls define a third set of mounting holes positioned to align with the first set of mounting holes. Additionally, a fourth and fifth set of mounting holes are each positioned on the housing to align with the first set of housing mounting holes to enable wall mounting of the housing. Finally, the top and bottom surfaces of the housing define a sixth and seventh set of mounting holes, each positioned to align with the first set of housing mounting holes to enable tower mounting of the housing.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a universal mounting bracket for use with modular component equipment comprises a first portion and a second portion. The first portion defines a first set of housing mounting holes and a first set of rack mounting holes, and the second portion defines a second set of housing mounting holes and a second set of rack mounting holes. The second portion is positioned perpendicular to the first portion and has a length greater than a length of the first portion. Preferably, the second set of rack mounting holes are positioned along the length of the second portion such that they align with external mounting holes of a wide rack mount or telco chassis when the bracket is mounted to the modular component equipment. Also, the first set of rack mounting holes are preferably positioned along the length of the first portion such that they align with external mounting holes of a different rack mount chassis that is smaller than the first rack mount chassis when the bracket is mounted to the modular component equipment. In one embodiment, the set of rack mounting holes positioned along the length of the second portion align with external mounting holes of a 23-inch rack mount chassis and to a telco chassis when the bracket is mounted to the modular component equipment. The first set of rack mounting holes are positioned along the length of the first portion such that they align with external mounting holes of a 19-inch rack mount chassis when the bracket is mounted to the modular component equipment.
Preferably, the second portion further defines a first and a second wall mount hole positioned a distance apart. This distance is one half of a distance differential between building standards for wall stud placement, e.g. one inch when the standards are 12 and 14 inch centers. In a further embodiment, the second portion further defines a third wall mount hole positioned the same distance from the second wall mount hole. The second portion may further define an aesthetic cover mounting hole. Preferably, the bracket comprises a flat metal plate into which the sets of housing mounting holes, the sets of rack mounting holes, the three wall mount holes, and the aesthetic cover mounting hole are punched. The first and the second portion are then formed by bending the metal plate. In an additional embodiment the first portion further defines a pair of clearance holes.
In a alternate embodiment of the invention, a modular uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system for supplying electric power from line voltage and external batteries is presented. This UPS system comprises an UPS module and a plurality of universal mounting brackets. These brackets are adapted to couple to the UPS module in a first position to enable mounting of the UPS module in a first rack mount chassis, in a second position to enable mounting of the UPS module in a second rack mount chassis wider than the first rack mount chassis, in a third position to enable mounting of the UPS module in a tower mount configuration, in a fourth position to enable mounting of the UPS module on a wall, and in a fifth position to enable mounting of the UPS module in a telco rack mount. Preferably, the universal mounting bracket comprises a first portion, and a second portion that is wider than the first portion. This second portion is coupled to the UPS module in the first position, and the first portion is coupled to the UPS in the second, third, fourth, and fifth positions.
This UPS system further comprises at least a second UPS module and ajoinder plate. In this embodiment the UPS modules are positioned adjacent to one another in the tower mount configuration. The joinder plate is then coupled to the adjacent UPS modules to maintain their relative position. The universal mounting brackets are coupled in the third position to an outside surface of the UPS modules to form mounting feet.
In one embodiment, at least two universal mounting brackets are coupled on a same horizontal side of the UPS module in the fourth position, and the universal mounting bracket includes at least two wall mount holes. The wall mount holes are positioned relative to one another such that one of the wall mount holes from each universal mounting bracket will align with an external wall stud center of a wall constructed in accordance with a first standard, and such that the other of the wall mount holes from each universal mounting bracket will align with an external wall stud center of a wall constructed in accordance with a second standard. Preferably, the universal mounting bracket includes a third wall mount hole. The wall mount holes are then positioned relative to one another such that the third of the wall mount holes from each universal mounting bracket will align with an external wall stud center of a wall constructed in accordance with a third standard.
Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.